This invention relates to monitoring and alarm systems and, more particularly, to a system for monitoring a swimming pool and providing an alarm indication in response to an object entering the pool or motion of a person or live animal in the pool.
Recent years have shown a great increase in the number of swimming pool installations, especially those of the backyard variety. These pools often present a safety hazard. For example, a small child unable to swim may play in an area adjacent to a pool. Regardless of the safety precautions that are maintained, instances will arise when play may go unsupervised. It would therefore be desirable to have an apparatus responsive to a child falling into an unattended swimming pool such that a competent person is alerted.
Most public pools are open only during specified hours. During the hours the public pool is closed, it is typically protected by a locked fence. However, in some instances these fences are no obstacle to unscrupulous people desiring to swim while the pool is closed. Again, it would be desirable to provide an apparatus to detect the unauthorized use of the pool.
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide apparatus responsive to presence of a person in a swimming pool to create an alarm indication.
It is further an object of this invention to provide such apparatus which may be readily installed at an existing swimming pool.
It is yet a further object of this invention to provide such apparatus without any wiring that would create an electrical shock hazard or would otherwise allow a person to trip thereover.
It is another object of this invention to provide such apparatus which may be installed without the necessity for any excavation or destruction of existing finished surfaces.
It is still another object of this invention to provide such apparatus wherein a loud audible alarm may be locally sounded to afford quick and immediate response in the event a rescue is necessary.
It is yet another object of this invention to provide such apparatus wherein the alarm indication may be remote from the pool so that proper authorities may prevent destruction or unauthorized use of public facilities.